Click here for the liner notes to The Hits of Rick Nelson.

Click here to download the new album from iTunes!

Click here to order the CD from Amazon, or click here to order from Pat's Gold.
 

Liner Notes from the Debut Album:

The album, simply titled Stephen Collins, was produced by Stephen and Michael Jochum. Stephen's backup band on the CD is a dream group. Along with Jochum on drums is guitar legend Laurence Juber (of WINGS), pianist Jim Cox, with Domenic Genova on bass and Gary Herbig on sax.

"Before I was an actor," explains Stephen, "I played in rock bands. Recently, I'd been singing a bit on 7th Heaven as well as occasionally jamming with these guys. They're the same musicians who do the scoring sessions on 7th Heaven, and they kept encouraging me to make an album. I was flattered, but couldn't imagine going out and trying to get a record deal at this point in my life. Then, out of nowhere, a woman from Gold Label was on the 7th Heaven set one day. She heard about the songs I was playing and the amazing guys I was jamming with, and she told me that if I could come up with a demo, the label might be interested.

I sent them a rough CD of some songs we'd been fooling around with, they liked what they heard, and the next thing I know I'm in the studio with some of the best session players in the music business. Talk about a dream come true."

The last and only other time Stephen recorded professionally was the RCA Victor double CD cast album of Stephen Sondheim's "Putting It Together," in which Stephen sang and starred opposite Julie Andrews (see cover on the right). But Stephen Collins was a chance to return to his first love, rock 'n' roll. The Gold Label is owned by Pat Boone, and he's been wonderfully outspoken in his praise of Stephen's work on the CD.

"When I play the CD for people in their mid-30s and up, they hear each track and say, 'I love that song.' That simple delight in the choice of songs is all I'm looking for. I mean, this is not cutting edge in any way, shape, or form. But the songs are wonderful, the band is great, and I had the time of my life doing this thing."

Putting It Together is a musical revue of Stephen Sondheim songs which were recycled and revamped to tell a brand-new story of five adults carrying on at a long, boozy party, during which secrets are told and relationships strained, and then finally redeemed. Putting It Together was produced off-Broadway by The Manhattan Theatre Club in 1994. It was notable as Julie Andrews' first New York theatre appearance since her run in Camelot in the 1960s. The show was a huge hit and was recorded by RCA in its entirety for this 2-CD album. Stephen sings famous Sondheim songs from Company like "Being Alive," "Sorry-Grateful," and "Have I Got A Girl For You," as well as "Hello, Little Girl" from Into The Woods, and "Country House," a duet with Julie Andrews from the London production of Follies. The CD also features remarkable solos from Julie Andrews and then-22 year old Rachel York, one of Broadway's finest young voices, as well as wonderful contributions from Broadway veteran Michael Rupert and playwright/actor Christopher Durang. Full company numbers include "Putting It Together" from Sunday in the Park With George, "Love Takes Time/Remember" from A Little Night Music, "Back in Business" from the movie Dick Tracy, and songs from Sondheim's Merrily We Roll Along. And Stephen, Chris Durang, and Michael Rupert join forces for "Everybody Ought To Have a Maid" from A Funny Thing Happened On the Way To The Forum.

It was SRO for Stephen Collins & The 7th Band at their last show at LA's famed club, The Mint. Stephen was concerned because the club was so full that some fans were turned away at the door. The band is working on another show at The Mint soon. Look for details here.

"The Hits of Rick Nelson," the second CD from Stephen Collins & The 7th Band is now available for download, exclusively at iTunes! Included are the 7th Band's new versions of fourteen songs that Rock 'n' Roll Hall-of-Famer Rick Nelson made famous, including "Travelin' Man," "Poor Little Fool," "Lonesome Town," "It's Late," and "Hello Mary Lou." At iTunes, you can download the entire album, or just a song or two. You can also hear 30-second samples of all the songs. Click here to listen or download from iTunes, click here to order the CD from Amazon, or click here to order the CD directly from Pat's Gold. Stephen's profits from "The Hits of Rick Nelson" will go to The Christopher Reeve Foundation.

Click here for the liner notes to "The Hits of Rick Nelson."

Due to complications from Hurricane Katrina, the bonus DVD that was to have been included with The Hits of Rick Nelson was not available with the original release of the CD. Stephen apologizes and hopes you'll enjoy the CD. For those of you who download single songs, please note that "Fools Rush In" and "Hello Mary Lou" are reversed on iTunes—each carries the other's title. So if you want either song, download the other. This same mistake is on the CD itself, making the album, we hope, some sort of collector's item!

Stephen's debut CD is still available on The Gold Label. The CD features Stephen singing and playing some hand-picked rock 'n roll and doo-wop classics, along with the sensational 7th Band. Click here to order the CD and to listen to mp3 samples of the songs. You can also listen to 30 second samples of each song, or download them individually at the iTunes Music Store.

Click here for a Free Song Download: "When Will I Be Loved"